Deck 16: Optical Phenomena of the Atmosphere

Question 1

The law of ________ states that the angle of incidence is equal to the angle of reflection.

A)refraction
B)reflection
C)interference
D)light

Answer 1

B

Question 2

The angle of incidence is equal to the angle of ________.

A)refraction
B)reflection
C)interference
D)dispersion
E)diffraction

Answer 2

B

Question 3

________ occurs when light that is traveling through a transparent material reaches the opposite surface and is reflected back into the transparent material.

A)External refraction
B)External reflection
C)Internal refraction
D)Internal reflection

Answer 3

D

Question 4

A layer of very warm,low density air near the surface causes light to:

A)bend in a curve that follows the curvature of the Earth's surface.
B)bend in a curve opposite that of the Earth.
C)reflect at a higher angle off of the surface.
D)separate into its various color components.

Question 5

When light passes from water into air,it bends:

A)away from the perpendicular.
B)towards the perpendicular.
C)at a 45° angle to the surface of the water.
D)more slowly.

Question 6

The property of light that causes your arm to look bent when it is submerged in water is called:

A)reflection.
B)refraction.
C)dispersion.
D)interference.
E)diffraction.

Question 7

Which of these atmospheric properties is most important concerning whether mirages will be seen?

A)visibility
B)barometric pressure
C)humidity
D)temperature change with height
E)wind speed

Question 8

The "wet area" or water surface mirage as seen on a highway occurs when:

A)an inversion is present.
B)humidity is high.
C)air pressure is high.
D)temperature lapse rate is large.
E)air density is low.

Question 9

Mirages are caused by:

A)reflection of sunlight.
B)variations in air density.
C)diffraction of sunlight.
D)scattering of sunlight.

Question 10

When light encounters a rough surface,the rays will strike the surface at ________ angle(s),which tends to ________ the light rays.

A)one;limit
B)different;limit
C)one;scatter
D)different;scatter

Question 11

Reflection,refraction and diffraction all cause light to change its:

A)direction.
B)frequency.
C)intensity.
D)color.

Question 12

Earth's atmosphere is able to gradually refract light rays:

A)because of the changing density of air as you get closer to the surface.
B)only when it is very dry.
C)only when the sun is very high in the sky.
D)because of air pollution that is present.

Question 13

________ light allows you to see yourself in a mirror.

A)Reflected
B)Refracted
C)Iridescent
D)Infrared

Question 14

The speed of light in space (between the Sun and Earth)is

A)fastest for blue light.
B)fastest for ultraviolet light.
C)fastest for violet light.
D)fastest for red light.
E)same for all colors.

Question 15

The phenomenon that results from the speed of light changing as it passes into different substances is:

A)internal reflection.
B)interference.
C)refraction.
D)reflection.
E)diffraction.

Question 16

Before sunlight interacts with the atmosphere,it is this color.

A)violet
B)white
C)blue
D)yellow
E)red

Question 17

When light is refracted,the degree of bending is determined in part by:

A)the total change in velocity as the light passes from one medium to the next.
B)the distance the light has traveled from its source.
C)the temperature of the refracting medium.
D)the length of time the light takes to travel through the refracting medium.

Question 18

Light bends because of a change in the ________.

A)weight
B)amplitude
C)temperature
D)velocity

Question 19

If light enters a transparent medium at a right angle (perpendicular),what change occurs to the light?

A)It is reflected rather than entering the medium.
B)Both its direction and velocity are altered.
C)Only its direction is changed.
D)Only its velocity is changed.

Question 20

The desert vision of palm trees reflected in water is usually not reality but an example of:

A)an inferior mirage.
B)looming.
C)a superior mirage.
D)a lunar glory.

Question 21

Which of these are the primary optical phenomena causing a rainbow?

A)diffraction,reflection
B)dispersion,interference
C)reflection,interference
D)refraction,reflection
E)reflection,diffraction

Question 22

A mirage will appear to be looming when:

A)air is very unstable.
B)there is a strong temperature inversion.
C)there is a strong negative lapse rate.
D)it appear smaller than the actual object.

Question 23

Why do rainbows have a curved shape?

A)Water molecules are circular.
B)The earth is circular.
C)The optical process is circularly symmetrical around the path of the sunlight.
D)The Sun is a spherical body.

Question 24

Superior mirages appear ________ the observed object,and inferior mirages appear ________.

A)above;below
B)below;above
C)larger than;smaller
D)smaller than;larger

Question 25

If you see large towers or mountains that seem to appear out of thin air,you are probably witnessing:

A)Fata Morgana
B)Looming
C)Inferior mirage
D)Glory

Question 26

________ occurs when cold air near the surface bends light in the same direction as the Earth's curvature,causing the object to appear suspended above the horizon.

A)Fata Morgana
B)Towering
C)Looming
D)Aurora borealis

Question 27

A green flash appears when:

A)the sun is just rising or setting.
B)there is a rainstorm in progress.
C)light is refracted around the edges of clouds.
D)there is a temperature inversion present.

Question 28

Mirages result from which of these optical processes?

A)diffraction
B)dispersion
C)reflection
D)refraction
E)interference

Question 29

When sunlight interacts with a raindrop to produce a rainbow,how many refractive events occur for each drop?

A)42
B)1
C)2
D)zero

Question 30

Which of these is most important for splitting the Sun's light into its separate colors?

A)interference
B)internal reflection
C)diffraction
D)reflection
E)refraction

Question 31

In terms of the process of formation,which one of the following optical phenomena is unlike the other three?

A)sun dog
B)halo
C)mirage
D)solar pillar

Question 32

Which of the following colors is never found in the interior of a rainbow?

A)blue
B)orange
C)red
D)green

Question 33

Secondary rainbows result from:

A)temperature inversions.
B)more cloud drops being present.
C)drops being very small.
D)multiple reflections inside the raindrops.

Question 34

The ________ is seen most often in morning and late afternoon when the Sun is near the horizon.

A)sun dog
B)halo
C)rainbow
D)glory
E)A,B and C

Question 35

A looming mirage appears to be:

A)closer than the actual object.
B)below the actual object.
C)larger than the actual object.
D)suspended above the actual object.

Question 36

Mirages:

A)are caused by the reflection of light.
B)appear most often in air with a small temperature gradient.
C)only occur in the desert.
D)are known as superior mirages when an object appears higher than it really is.

Question 37

The highway ahead of you appears "wet" on days when:

A)light is refracted through the windshields of other cars.
B)water vapor in the atmosphere reflects incoming light.
C)light passes through colder air aloft into very warm air near the surface.
D)light is refracted by very cold air near the surface.

Question 38

Rainbows are always seen with the Sun:

A)behind you.
B)ahead of you.
C)to your right.
D)to your left.
E)42 degrees above the horizon.

Question 39

The speed of light in water is:

A)fastest for violet light.
B)fastest for ultraviolet light.
C)same for all colors.
D)fastest for red light.
E)fastest for blue light.

Question 40

A mirage that changes the apparent size of an object is called:

A)magnification.
B)towering.
C)looming.
D)dispersion.

Question 41

The interpretation of a halo around the Moon as a sign of impending rain (or snow)stems from:

A)the geometry of the Moon's size and distance.
B)a false weather proverb.
C)the association of cirrus clouds with cyclonic storms.
D)halos being present only when clouds are thick.

Question 42

The ________ is not often seen by earthbound observers.

A)halo
B)sun dog
C)corona
D)glory
E)rainbow

Question 43

Halos:

A)are usually red.
B)come in four sizes.
C)are formed by six-sided crystals.
D)are actually invisible.

Question 44

A rainbow in the morning signifies weather approaching because:

A)weather moves from west to east,and you must be between the rising sun and the rain to see the rainbow.
B)a rainbow only occurs when air is very unstable.
C)a rainbow forms during the mature phase of a thunderstorm.
D)you must have the sun between you and the storm to see a rainbow.

Question 45

Violet-colored light travels at the ________ rate and is therefore refracted the ________.

A)slowest;most
B)fastest;least
C)fastest;most
D)slowest;least

Question 46

Usually seen near sunrise or sunset in association with falling ice crystals,________ are vertical shafts of light that appear to extend upward from the Sun..

A)sun pillars
B)sun dogs
C)Fata Morgana
D)perihelion

Question 47

Sun dogs create the appearance of:

A)a ring around the sun.
B)two "mock suns" on the outer rim of a halo.
C)a rainbow around the observer's shadow.
D)shimmering water on the horizon.

Question 48

The ________ usually appears in conjunction with a halo.

A)glory
B)rainbow
C)corona
D)sun dog

Question 49

Diffraction occurs when light:

A)strikes ice crystals at a 90° angle.
B)reflects more than twice inside a water droplet.
C)passes through both liquid droplets and ice crystals.
D)passes close to water droplets.

Question 50

A 46° halo results instead of a 22° halo when:

A)light passes through the side of an ice crystal but exits through the base or the top.
B)light passes through the side of an ice crystal and exits through the opposite side.
C)light is refracted by liquid water droplets rather than frozen ice crystals.
D)light reflects off of the side of ice crystals rather than passing through them.

Question 51

A secondary rainbow:

A)is above the primary rainbow.
B)has a broader band of colors.
C)is brighter than the primary rainbow.
D)is formed from ice,not water.
E)is typically seen in the early afternoon,not in the morning.

Question 52

Which optical process is most important in causing the corona?

A)refraction
B)absorption
C)dispersion
D)reflection
E)diffraction

Question 53

The ________ is produced by refraction caused by ice crystals.

A)rainbow
B)halo
C)corona
D)glory

Question 54

The ________ forms in association with the Moon as well as the Sun.

A)rainbow
B)sun dog
C)glory
D)halo

Question 55

In order to see a rainbow,an observer must ________ the Sun and ________ the rain.

A)have his back to;have his back to
B)face;face
C)face;have his back to
D)have his back to;face

Question 56

The separation of colors by refraction is called:

A)glory.
B)dispersion.
C)towering.
D)looming.

Question 57

Why don't halos display the colors of a rainbow?

A)The shape and size of ice crystals are not uniform.
B)Refraction does not occur with a halo.
C)Reflection does not occur with a halo.
D)Ice crystals are not transparent.

Question 58

Red light travels the ________ and is therefore bent the ________.

A)fastest;least
B)slowest;most
C)slowest;least
D)fastest;most

Question 59

If you want to see the glory from the surface of the Earth,which conditions must be met?

A)You must be above a bank of fog or clouds with the sun at your back.
B)You must be near a body of water when the sun is low on the horizon.
C)You must be viewing a halo when the sun is rising.
D)It is impossible to see the glory from the ground;you must be on an airplane.

Question 60

Halos result from ice crystals with a ________ orientation,while sun dogs are created by ice crystals with a ________ orientation.

A)horizontal;circular
B)circular;horizontal
C)random;vertical
D)vertical;random

Question 61

A mirage is an optical effect caused by refraction when light passes from air with one density into air with a different density,causing the object to appear displaced from its true position.

Question 62

We are able to perceive light as bending.

Question 63

The bending of light by reflection is responsible for such common optical illusions as the apparent displacement of the position of the stars,the Moon,and the Sun.

Question 64

The curving of light by air is greater when the light source is near the zenith.

Question 65

Refraction of light bends it towards the perpendicular of the slower medium.

Question 66

It is the interaction of white sunlight with our atmosphere that creates the numerous optical phenomena that take place in the sky.

Question 67

Internal reflection is an important factor in the formation of optical phenomena.

Question 68

We see the Sun for a few minutes after it has set below the horizon.

Question 69

Reflection always involves the passage of a light ray from one substance into another.

Question 70

Clouds that refract sunlight or moonlight and take on bright violet,green,and pink colors are called:

A)iridescent clouds.
B)the glory.
C)coronal clouds.
D)sprites.

Question 71

Light will gradually bend due changes in velocity and density.

Question 72

Incident light striking a rough surface is diffused.

Question 73

When the air near the ground is substantially warmer than the air aloft,the light rays bend with a curvature that is the same as the Earth's.

Question 74

In the near vacuum of outer space,light typically travels in a straight line at uniform speed.

Question 75

A superior image is seen above its true position.

Question 76

A mirage is a real image and can be photographed.

Question 77

Refraction only occurs when light crosses a boundary between different substances.

Question 78

Your mind's interpretation that light travels only in straight lines is an important part of explaining mirages.

Question 79

A ________ is one of the few optical phenomena more frequently observed with the moon than the sun.

A)halo
B)corona
C)green flash
D)pillar

Question 80

The angle of incidence always equals the angle of reflection.